Full flat wheel

Abstract

A vehicle wheel assembly includes a wheel disc and a rim that are welded together. The wheel disc includes a full face disc portion with a disc lip extending in an inboard direction. The rim includes a main rim body with a rim lip that extends in an outboard direction, and which is in an overlapping relationship with the disc lip. The rim lip is defined by a smaller diameter than the disc lip such that the disc lip engages an outer peripheral surface of the rim lip. A weld is formed along a distal end of the disc lip to secure the wheel disc and rim together. This provides a vehicle wheel assembly that has a full, flat face, flangeless appearance.

1. A vehicle wheel comprising:
 a wheel disc having a full face disc portion and a radiused portion that transitions directly from said full face disc portion into a disc lip extending inboard from said full face disc portion, and wherein said disc lip has a first outer peripheral surface and a first inner peripheral surface; 
 a rim having a main rim body and a flange portion that transitions from said main rim body into a rim lip extending in an outboard direction toward said full face disc portion wherein said rim lip and said disc lip are positioned in an overlapping relationship, and wherein said rim lip has a second outer peripheral surface and a second inner peripheral surface, with said first inner peripheral surface directly engaging said second outer peripheral surface in an overlapping relationship such that said second inner peripheral surface does not contact said disc lip; and 
 a weld provided at an interface between said disc lip and said rim lip to join said wheel disc and said rim together. 
 
   
   
     2. The vehicle wheel according to  claim 1  wherein said second outer peripheral surface of said rim lip is defined by a first diameter and said first outer peripheral surface of said disc lip is defined by a second diameter that is greater than said first diameter. 
   
   
     3. The vehicle wheel according to  claim 2  wherein said first inner peripheral surface includes one of a groove and a rib and said second outer peripheral surface includes the other of said groove and said rib, said rib being received within said groove. 
   
   
     4. The vehicle wheel according to  claim 1  wherein said main rim body extends along a lateral axis and said flange portion extends radially outwardly from one edge of said main rim body in a direction transverse to said lateral axis and wherein said rim lip extends from said flange portion in the outboard direction generally along said lateral axis. 
   
   
     5. The vehicle wheel according to  claim 4  wherein said rim includes a first radiused portion transitioning from said one edge of said main rim body to said flange portion and a second radiused portion transitioning from said flange portion to said rim lip. 
   
   
     6. The vehicle wheel according to  claim 5  wherein a distal end of said disc lip is axially spaced outboard from said second radiused portion. 
   
   
     7. The vehicle wheel according to  claim 6  wherein said weld is formed along said distal end of said disc lip, along said second outer peripheral surface of said rim lip, and along at least a portion of said second radiused portion. 
   
   
     8. The vehicle wheel according to  claim 1  wherein said weld is only formed along a distal end of said disc lip and along said second outer peripheral surface of said rim lip. 
   
   
     9. A vehicle wheel comprising:
 a wheel disc having a full face disc portion and a disc lip extending transversely relative to said full face disc portion, said disc lip having an outer peripheral surface and an inner peripheral surface, said outer peripheral surface being defined by a first diameter that defines a maximum outer diameter of said wheel disc; 
 a rim having a rim lip with an outer peripheral surface that is defined by a second diameter that is less than said first diameter wherein said rim lip and said disc lip are positioned in an overlapping relationship; and 
 a weld provided at an interface between said disc lip and said rim lip to join said wheel disc and said rim together. 
 
   
   
     10. The vehicle wheel according to  claim 9  wherein said wheel disc and said rim are rotatable about a wheel axis of rotation and wherein said disc lip and said rim lip are generally parallel to the wheel axis of rotation. 
   
   
     11. The vehicle wheel according to  claim 10  wherein said rim includes a main rim portion extending along a direction generally parallel to the wheel axis of rotation and a flange portion extending radially outwardly from one edge of said main rim portion in a direction transverse to the wheel axis of rotation and wherein said rim lip extends from said flange portion in an outboard direction that is generally parallel to the wheel axis of rotation. 
   
   
     12. The vehicle wheel according to  claim 11  wherein a distal end of said disc lip is spaced axially outboard of said flange portion of said rim. 
   
   
     13. The vehicle wheel according to  claim 9  including a gap formed between a distal end of said rim lip and said full face disc portion. 
   
   
     14. The vehicle wheel according to  claim 9  wherein an inner peripheral surface of said disc lip includes one of a groove and a rib and wherein an outer peripheral surface of said rim lip includes the other of the groove and the rib, said rib being directly received within said groove. 
   
   
     15. A vehicle wheel comprising:
 a wheel disc having a full face disc portion and a radiused portion that transitions directly from said full face disc portion into a disc lip extending inboard from said full face disc portion, and wherein said disc lip has an inner surface and outer surface, said outer surface defining a radially outermost diameter of said wheel disc; 
 a rim having a main rim body and a flange portion that transitions from said main rim body into a rim lip extending in an outboard direction toward said full face disc portion wherein said rim lip and said disc lip are positioned in an overlapping relationship; and 
 a weld provided at an interface between said disc lip and said rim lip to join said wheel disc and said run together. 
 
   
   
     16. A vehicle wheel comprising:
 a wheel disc having a full face disc portion and a radiused portion that transitions directly from said full face disc portion into a disc lip extending inboard from said full face disc portion, and wherein said radiused portion of said wheel disc first extends upwardly from said full face disc portion in a direction away from a wheel axis of rotation and then extends inwardly in a direction generally along the wheel axis of rotation to form a curved surface that extends from said full face disc portion to said disc lip; 
 a rim having a main rim body and a flange portion that transitions from said main rim body into a rim lip extending in an outboard direction toward said full face disc portion wherein said rim lip and said disc lip are positioned in an overlapping relationship; and 
 a weld provided at an interface between said disc lip and said rim lip to join said wheel disc and said rim together. 
 
   
   
     17. The vehicle wheel according to  claim 9  wherein said wheel disc includes a radiused portion that transitions directly from said full face disc portion into said disc lip, and wherein said rim includes a main rim body and a flange portion that transitions from said main rim body into said rim lip, said rim lip extending in an outboard direction toward said full face disc portion, and said disc lip being overlaid on top of said rim lip such that an inner peripheral surface of said rim lip does not contact said wheel disc. 
   
   
     18. The vehicle wheel according to  claim 17  wherein said radiused portion of said wheel disc first extends upwardly from said full face disc portion in a direction away from a wheel axis of rotation and then extends inwardly in a direction generally along the wheel axis of rotation to form a curved surface that extends from said full face disc portion to said disc lip, and wherein said main rim body extends in a direction generally along the wheel axis of rotation and transitions into said flange portion which extends radially outwardly from the wheel axis of rotation, with said flange portion transitioning into said run lip which extends in a direction generally along the wheel axis of rotation.